Trending 
Chairman of the Miss Nigeria Board, Rita Dominic, has described the Miss Nigeria pageant as an empowerment initiative designed to create greater opportunities and access for young girls across the country.
Speaking at a charity ball dinner on Sunday, held to officially kick off activities for the 46th edition of the pageant, she said the event marks the beginning of a series of activities leading to the coronation of a new queen.
“We’re here to start the kickoff for the search for the 46th Miss Nigeria. We’re starting it with patrons and board charity ball dinner tonight, which will feature, amongst other things, the Daily Times Young Fashion Designer of the Year Award. This will lead to a series of events which will lead to the coronation of the 46th Queen,” she said.
Dominic explained that the pageant goes beyond beauty, stressing its role in youth development and capacity building.
“Miss Nigeria is an empowerment platform… what we’re doing now is to amplify it more and try to create more access to young girls out there who need such support,” she said.
She added that the organisation aims to discover and nurture young women through its nationwide programme.
“I’m hoping that by the time we get to the travel on in the middle of the year where the current Queen embarks on a tour around the country searching for contestants with a team, I think it will give us an opportunity to see young girls you know who need grooming, who want to add capacity to their lives and that is what Miss Nigeria organization stands for.”
Also speaking at the event, Nigerian actress and filmmaker Mercy Aigbe said that beauty should be defined by authenticity and self-confidence rather than societal expectations.
“For me, it’s about celebrating beauty… beauty is when you can be authentic and still shine.”
Aigbe added that true beauty comes from self-acceptance and individuality.
“It’s when you’re comfortable with your skin and you define your own beauty standards and not by what society says,” she said.
She expressed excitement at being part of the event, noting that she was surrounded by inspiring women celebrating what she described as diverse expressions of beauty.
